


Three-Thirty AM Snack

by imbeccacile



Category: Black Panther (2018), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Gen, Nightmares, Sibling Love, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-26
Updated: 2018-02-26
Packaged: 2019-03-24 12:06:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,837
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13810854
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/imbeccacile/pseuds/imbeccacile
Summary: When Shuri wakes from one of her first nightmares since she was a small child, she finds she's too unsettled to go back to sleep. Luckily, her brother is also awake, despite the time.





	Three-Thirty AM Snack

**Author's Note:**

> there are literally no stories about how beautiful Shuri and T'Challa's relationship is, so have some fluff

_"Brother!" Shuri is crying, and she can't believe -_

_N'Jadaka throws a nearly unconscious T'Challa off of the cliff, and he's falling down, down the waterfall._

_He's gone. Her brother is dead. Murdered by the new king. He's -_

 

Shuri's eyes snapped open and she sat bolt up right, looking around her darkened room with wide eyes. It took a long time for her breathing to return to normal, and even longer for her to realize that she was crying.

It had been a week. A week since T'Challa was officially crowned king, since N'Jadaka was killed, since peace was restored again through Wakanda. Shuri felt like it was a mix of feeling like it had been so much longer, and that it just all happened yesterday.

_He's fine,_ she thought to herself rather bitterly as she hastily wiped her eyes. She hated this. Feeling weak. T'Challa had to deal with so much more than she did, and yet here she was, crying over something that had turned out all right in the end. It had been worse the first time, a few days ago. She hadn't been able to calm down for a long time, and just sat in bed, waiting to tire herself out.

Swinging her legs over the edge of her bed, she got up, blinking at the clock on her bedside table. _3:14_ blinked back at her in red. She had no idea where she was going, but she needed to clear her mind. Get away from her bed. She opened the door slowly, making sure it wouldn't creak, and slipped into the hallway, shutting the door softly behind her. Starting down the hall, she had full intentions of going to her lab, making herself useful if she wasn't going to sleep. But she noticed T'Challa's bedroom door was slightly ajar, and warm light poured out of it. What was he doing up? Weird. Shuri frowned and pushed open the door slowly, peeking inside.

T'Challa sat at his desk, his back to her, scribbling feverishly at a piece of paper. He paused to run a hand through his hair, then over his face, then continued working. Shuri opened the door all the way, leaning against the door frame with an eyebrow raised. "Are you _really_ doing king work at three a.m., brother?"

T'Challa jumped in his seat, and she had to admit, it did make her grin a little. He turned around, meeting her eyes with a confused expression. "What are you doing up?" he asked, instead of answering the first question.

Shuri hesitated a moment, smile fading. Her brother did not look...good. His eyes were slightly bloodshot, his usually neat hair sticking out in a few places. Out of the corner of her eye, she could sheets and blankets strewn all over the bed. She cleared her throat, regaining her composure. "Couldn't sleep," she decided on, not wanting to worry him, "and I could ask you the same question."

He shook his head, dropping his gaze, looking around the room for a moment. "I could not sleep either," he answered, though Shuri didn't buy it. Because of his appearance, however, she decided against pushing him. For now.

She walked over to him, peering over his shoulder at all of the paperwork she didn't understand. "Eugh," she said, sticking her tongue out. "You will never be able to sleep if you stress over this stuff. Even if it is boring." She raised an eyebrow at him, feeling like their mother for a split second. The way she used to stare at them when they were younger, when she wanted them to do something. T'Challa frowned, looking at the paperwork for a moment, before looking up to meet his sister's eyes. He sighed, and Shuri took that as a win. She grinned, taking a step back. "You do not even have to say it," she said, still grinning, "I know I am right. Now get up, brother, let's go get something to eat! A..." She glanced at the clock on the wall, "A three-thirty a.m. snack!"

T'Challa chuckled lightly, nodding as he stood up. "All right, all right," he replied, holding his hands up in surrender. "You win." He held his hand out, and she slapped it, then they both crossed their arms over their chest, both unable to hide a small smile.

Shuri already felt better. All she needed was some time with her brother, and to maybe tease him along the way.

She led the way to the kitchen, and hopped up to sit on the counter while T'Challa opened the fridge. "What would you like?" he asked.

"The unhealthiest thing we have," she replied with a shrug, leaning back on her hands. He gave her a half-hearted disapproving look over his shoulder - both of them didn't eat very unhealthy - but perhaps they could make an exception this time. Pulling the milk out of the fridge, he slid it over to her, then searched the cabinet next to the fridge, while she opened the cabinet behind her to pull two glasses out. 

"Here." T'Challa pulled out a box of chocolate chip cookies, and walked over to join her, leaning against the counter.

"Thanks," Shuri replied brightly, pouring the two glasses of milk, taking a big swig of her own before taking a cookie. It had been awhile since either of them had chocolate and they were both quiet for a few moments, enjoying the cookies and each other's company. She noticed after a little while that T'Challa had been staring at the box, seemingly deep in thought. "Earth to the king," she said quietly, waving her hand in front of his face. "I'm over here." He blinked and looked away, then up at her.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled, shaking his head. "I...Can I ask you a question?"

A million things ran through her head at that moment, but she nodded, like her heart wasn't racing. "Go ahead."

He took a deep breath, letting it out slowly, and met her eyes while he tried to figure out how to word it. "It...It is just..." he sighed again. "I suppose I was just wondering if you have dreams."

Shuri blinked. So he knew, just like she knew he had dreams. She knew he'd been having dreams ever since their father died, and it had only gotten worse, with the weight of becoming king, and the stress of finding out the truth about T'Chaka, N'Jobu, and N'Jadaka. If the situation were better, she would joke that he would be getting gray hairs at thirty. "Not very often," she answered finally, shrugging. It was true. "I never had any before, well...before this past month." Which, of course, made sense. T'Challa had seen much more than she had.

He was quiet, looking away again. She could tell by his face that he was _angry_. He was angry about her having dreams. She...didn't know what to make of it. "Hey, it's okay," she promised, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I'm fine, you are fine. Mama is fine, and so is Wakanda. That is what matters." Despite the situation, T'Challa smiled a little. "There's that annoying brother smile I know," she teased, hopping off of the counter. She still felt wide awake. "Hm...how about a movie, brother? Will you cry if we watch one of those Disney movies again?" she asked with a grin, starting out of the kitchen.

T'Challa chuckled, placing a hand on her shoulder to stop her in her tracks. "Shuri." She turned, looking up at him, confused. There was something in his eyes that she couldn't quite place. "Thank you." He pulled her into a hug, and any other time, she would attempt to escape. But there was no one else around, and honestly, they both needed a hug. She smiled and wrapped her arms around his waist, leaning her head against her chest to hear the steady beat of his heart. _Fuck that dream. He was alive and here._

They stayed that way for a few moments, until he finally pulled away, still smiling. "Now, to answer your question...that was one time! You cannot tell me that _Up_ was not tear-jerking."

She laughed, leading the way to the living room, where she went over to the DVDs, kneeling beside them. "It was. But I do not cry. I am just stronger than you, brother," she said matter-of-factly, as he sat on the couch. He chuckled, not even bothering to fight her on that. Picking up a DVD case, she placed it into the player, turning on the television. "This one's called Inside Out. I think it is pretty popular in America."

"Americans usually have good taste in movies," he said, shrugging a shoulder as she sat beside him, grinning a little.

"That may be the only thing," she joked, sitting cross-legged. He laughed, and then they fell quiet, watching the opening of the movie.

Shuri wouldn't admit it to many people, but she really did enjoy Disney movies, and this one was no different. She wasn't even leaning against the couch, sitting almost completely straight with her legs still crossed. About halfway through, she laughed and turned to T'Challa to make a joke, only to find that his eyes were closed, leaning back comfortably against the couch. "Brother..." she said softly, laughing a little. He opened his eyes slowly, mumbling under his breath.

"Ngh...I...I'm awake."

"Like hell you are," she laughed again, pausing the movie. "Go to bed, T'Challa."

He yawned, eyes slipping closed again. "Five more minutes," he promised, and she yawned too. Rolling her eyes, she pressed play and leaned back against the couch, finally some drowsiness of her own passing over her like a fog.

By the end of the movie, T'Challa was passed out. No amount of soft speaking had any affect on him, though she didn't want to wake him, either. She watched him for a moment; his hands folded lightly over his chest, moving up and down slowly with each soft breath. It... was the most relaxed Shuri had seen him in years. All the tension had left his body for once.

Glancing out of the living room window, she could see the first light of dawn beginning. Time for bed. She got up slowly, grabbing a blanket from the corner of the room, and placed it over her brother, who mumbled lightly in his sleep but didn't stir. She looked at the door, not quite sure why she was hesitating. Her bed just didn't seem too inviting. Sighing, she sat back down on her spot on the couch, placing the blanket over herself too, and leaned her head on the side of his shoulder, shutting her eyes. "Goodnight, brother," she whispered softly, and slipped into the easiest sleep she'd had all week.

The next morning, both of them would deny that the night happened. But they both appreciated it more than the other would ever know.


End file.
